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Oreltak
A god of war and glory, Oreltak is said to take the form of avians and lead her followers to victory by guiding them to areas where they can break the enemy's lines or to where prisoners are being kept. Attributing a glorious, hard-won victory to Oreltak is one of the greatest honors to the god, and those who believe on her will often wear feathers of a particular bird somewhere on their clothing depending on which of her attributes they seek most. Worship of Oreltak is mostly localized to the nations of Lovsti and Milastrov, though some areas of western Olaka and northern Tumoria have temples dedicated to Oreltak. Appearance Oreltak has four forms, according to legend: A cunning white owl that carries a scroll, a vicious red hawk with a dagger clutched in its talons, a black heron that brings clouds wherever it goes, and an old, ragged raven whose feathers are a silvery grey. Each of these appearances is as much a part of Oreltak as another one; no follower of Oreltak would claim that Oreltak has a "true" form or even a favored form. Oreltak is all four, and all four are Oreltak. Oreltak's demeanor depends on what form she is in. Generally, the raven is seen as most benevolent, followed by the heron, hawk, and finally the owl as most ruthless. Birds of these species are seen as messengers of Oreltak or as her offspring. Religion The four aspects of Oreltak are essentially four schools of thought pertaining to this god. While most worshipers of Oreltak will embody all aspects in some way, the aspect that one "belongs" to is generally the trait they view as most important, and sects dedicated to that aspect have quite differing cultures. The Raven The Ravens of Oreltak tend to shy away from needless conflict, preaching to choose battles wisely. Because the other aspects of Oreltak are much more war-like, there are some sects that look down upon the Ravens and will even use "raven" as a term synonymous for coward or traitor. Ravens tend to be more commonly seen tending to the aftermath of war rather than contributing to its continuation. The Ravens will open shelters for those who lost their homes to war, support children who lost their parents from the fighting, and so on. Birds, seen as particularly sacred to the Ravens, can be seen throughout their temples, and the Ravens' clerics often have powers pertaining to avian kind. They will tend to anyone regardless of circumstance or affiliation, believing that helping one's enemies can sway them to their side peacefully. The Heron The Herons of Oreltak pray to their god for good weather and for their enemies to be trapped in storms beyond measure. It is said that the northern islands were granted protection by Oreltak, protecting them from invaders with cyclones that would sweep them out of the sea. They tend to view war as more swayed by factors largely out of their control, and they pray to Oreltak to level the playing field, as it were. Herons are stereotyped, not wholly unfairly, as superstitious; they have a myriad of rituals and ways of offering up sacrifices to Oreltak in order to gain their god's favor, and an equal number of curses meant to smite their enemies with Oreltak's might. Usage of nature magic and shamanism is common among the Herons, and they also frequently worship other gods in hopes of gaining favor from many divine beings rather than just Oreltak. The Hawk The Hawks of Oreltak are masters of battle, often trained with multiple weapons and styles of fighting. Although the traditional Hawk is one who uses physical weapons, users of Chrono who can survive on the frontlines are equally valued. They are dismissive of "dirty tricks" and fighting anyone who cannot fight back, and they would be loath to do something as dishonorable as sneak into an enemy camp and poison the food, even if it would shorten the conflict considerably. Disputes, particularly over rank and who should take orders from who, are also settled through honorable duels; Hawks will also gladly accept even former enemies into their ranks, should they prove their loyalty and worth to Oreltak. They are more loyal to each other than anything else; even violating one of Oreltak's doctrines would be seen as better than abandoning a fellow Hawk. True friendship is forged on the field of battle. The Owl The Owls of Oreltak prioritize strategy, battle tactics, and decisive action. A seemingly inactive Owl is merely waiting for the right moment to strike. They value cooperation and teamwork, but also obeying superiors and not violating tradition. An Owl would intone that there is a reason why the "old ways" are still around -- because they have been proven to work. Changing how the Owls run -- rigid order and discipline with carefully selected leaders -- is something that can only be done with careful deliberation and a lot of paperwork. They do not make any choice lightly, weighing the pros and cons of all options before acting. Unlike Hawks, who tend to accept a victory at face value and see no honor in attacking a defenseless enemy, Owls often value pragmatism over glory. Capturing a city full of civilians is not necessarily honorable, but it is a very effective bargaining chip in negotiating a surrender. Category:Gods Category:No Spoilers